Watchman s time-recorder



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. B. EGAN & H. F. GRAY. W'ATGHMANS TIME RECORDER.

No. 428,583. Patepted May Z0, 1890. 3

1, r V f A? WITNESSES: INVENTORJ W By pm fiwl,

ATTORNEY.

(No Model.) '2 Sheets-She'et 2. U. E. EGAN 8; H. P. GRAY. WATOHMANS TIME RECORDER Patented May 20, 1890.

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BY 16% W7 ATTORNEY.

,ceivii'ig station.

, plan view of the registering apparatus.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

CHARLES E. EGAN AND HENRY F. GRAY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

WATCHMANS TIME-RECORDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,583, dated May 20, 1890.

Application filed July 5 1889.

To all whOm it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES E. EGAN and HENRY F. GRAY, citizens of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in \Vatchmens Electric 'lime-Registers, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to that class of watchmens time-recording devices wherein electrical connections are formed between various stations and a recording device arranged to operate in conjunction with clock-work; and the objects of our invention are to provide a simple and inexpensive device of this kind by means of which an accurate and reliable record of the watchmans visits to the stations will be recorded; to so construct the same as to prevent the record, of a given number only from one station; to provide such mechanism at the receiving-station as to prevent the necessity of using more than two magnets for receiving from any number of stations; to obviate the necessity of using separate sets of wires in forming the connections between each sending-station and the receiving-station, and to admit of the mechanism being, so arranged and constructed as to prevent the watchman from knowing what number is being recorded from any given station, and to so construct said mechanism as to operate the registering device by closing the circuitbctween the sending and relhese objects we accomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- 1 Figure 1 is a face view of one of the sending-station boxes and its mechanism. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a face View of the recording-disk, showing a rear side view of the needle-block. Fig. 4 is a Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on line 0000 of Fig. i. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the magnets shown in Fig. 4, and showing the connection of the same with the battery and binding-posts. Fig. 7 is a front end. view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4, and Fig. S is a vertical longitudinal section of the sliding needle-box. Fig. 5) is a vertical longitudinal Serial No. 316,560. (Ho model.)

section of the upper magnet at the receivingstation, showing the connection therewith with the trip-rod.

out the several views.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, A represents a station-box or rear frameplate, which is preferably formed of wood, and A the box-cover. To the frame-plate A issecured an ordinary alarm-work mechanism, consisting in the usual manner of a keypost a, actuated by a spring CL, and operating inthe usual manner a number of gear and pinion wheels mounted on shafts which have their forward hearings in a metallic front plate B. I

Projecting outwardly from the upper portion of the plate B, above and on opposite sides of the key-post a, are two short metallie pins (2 b. Projecting upwardly from the outer projecting portion of the key-post Ct is a metallic finger N, which normally rests between the pins 1) and b and against the former, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Fixed on the outer projecting end of the shaft C, outside the plate 13, is a circuit-closin g disk 0, having projecting from its periphery one or more teeth 0'. The number of said teeth 0 differs in the corresponding disk of each sending-station; but for the sake of illustration we have chosen, as shown in the drawings, that disk having four teeth. This disk-carrying shaft C also carries on the inner side of the plate 13 a gear-wheel D and a pinion D, to which rotary motion is imparted in the usual manner from a gear-wheel on the key-post.

Secured to the outer face of the plate 13 at a point on one side of the disk 0 is a nonconducting bar (Z. of this insulating-bar d is one end of a metallic spring-strip d, the remaining end of which projects over the end of said insulating-bar and terminates in such position over the disk 0 as to cause the contact therewith of the disk-teeth 0' when said disk is rotated, as hereinafter described. I I

d represents a metallic plate secured to the face of the sending-station frame-plate at a point above the mechanism thereof, said plate Secured to the upper side Si milar letters refer to similar parts th roughhaving an outwardly-projecting spring-strip arm (1 the outer end of which overhangs the projecting key-post, as shown.

Sending stations having the above described construction are designed to be located at the different points to be visited by a watchman, said sending-stations being connected, as hereinafter described, with the registering mechanism of the receiving-station.

E represents the metallic oblong frame of the registering device, said frame consisting, approximately, of two end pieces connected by two parallel arms e e. Between these arms 6 e are supported a pair of spool-magnets e the cores of which are connected in the usual manner. Made to extend transversely between the magnet-spools c and having its ends passing loosely through oppositely-located holes formed in the framepieces 6 e, is a sliding arm or pin 6 That outer projecting portion of the arm which projects through the frame-arm c has fixed thereon an armature-bar e. The opposite end of the pin 0 supports on the outer side of the frame-ar1n c, at the center of itslength, ahorizontal bar F. The outer end of the pin 6 on the outer side of its armature-bar c" has pivotally connected therewith one end of a forwardly-extending lever-bar f, said leverbar projecting over the forward end of the l'rameplate E adjoining one side thereof. This lever-bar f is further pivoted on the frame-plateE by means of a pin f made to proj ect upwardly from said frame-plate through a slotted opening formed in the lever.

The forward end of the frame E is provided, adjoining the side opposite that on which is located the lever f, with a forward extension f within which is pivotally supported a short vertical pin or shaft f, which carries on its upper end a ratchet-wheel f and beneath said ratchet-wheel and adjoining said frameextension a pulley-wheel f which is rigidly connected with the under side of said ratchet-wheel. Pivotallyconnccted with the lever f at a point above the forward end of the frame E is one end of a pawl-arm G. This pawl-arm extends transversely above the forward end of the frame E and has its outer end engaging with the teeth of the ratchetf. This outer pawl end is normally held in engagement with one of said ratchet-teeth by means of a coiled spring vi, the latter having one of its ends secured to the forward portion of said pawl G, and havingits remaining end secured to the outer end of an arm g, the latter projecting forwardly from the forward end of the frame E. This projecting arm g is also connected with the outer projecting end of the lever f by means of a coiled spring g. This coiled spring, as will be seen, operates to draw the forward end of the leverf toward the ratchet-wheel sufficiently to hold the rear end of the lever foutward, and thus normally to support the sliding pin e in such position as to prevent the contact of the armature c with the magnets 12 and hold the bar F in close proximity to the frame-arm e.

Beneath the pawl G, near its connection with the lever f, is pivoted to the frame E one end of a second pawl g the forward end of which, passing beneath said pawl G, is held in engagement with the same tooth of the ratchet f as that engaged by the pawl G. This lower pawl is normally held in this position by means of a coiled spring 9 having its ends secured, respectively, to said lower pawl and the frame-arm g.

The frame-plate E has its ends projecting outwardly on that side 011 which is located the bar F, and the outer ends of said projections are connected by means of a metallic track-strip H.

71 represents a sliding block movably supported on the track-strip H by having the latter passing loosely through a T-groove in the bottom of the former. This block it has formed therewith an outwardly-projecting barrel 71.. Extending longitudinally through said block and its barrel is a central needlehole h, said hole being of greater circumference in the block than in its barrel, thus forming a shoulder 76 therein, as shown. Through this hole h passes loosely a pin or needle 7L3, having its outer end pointed, and being of a slightly greater length than the block and barrel, as shown. Fitted in the rear end of the pin-hole is a suitable plug, which loosely surrounds the pin or needle. Between this end plug and the internal shoulder h is made to surround the pin a coiled spring 2'.

The pointed forward end of the pin or needle is normally sheathed within the barrel 71..

Secured to the pulley-wheel and adapted to be wound thereon is one end of a cord 1. This cord passes, as shown, to the block 71, to which it is secured, while a similar cord J is secured to the opposite side of said block, from whence it passes rearwardly, and running over a pulley-wheel j, supported on the rear end of the plate IE, it passes downwardly and supports on its lower end a suitable weight K.

L represents a vertical frame-arm, which is made to project upwardly from the rear end of the frame-plate E to a point above the height of the magnets c Supported against the flat front face of the arm L is the rear end of a spool-magnet Z, which extends forwardly over and at right angles with the magnets e This upper magnet Z has formed in its front end, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. i of the drawings, a pin-socket. Into this pin-socket is inserted loosely the upper horizontal portion of a wire trip-rod 7a, which is bent downwardly at a point on the outer side of the magnet end, and has its lower end bent to loosely embrace the pawls G g Fixed on the upper horizontal portion of said wire rod 7c, at the point where its downward bond is made, is a metallic armature-disk 7e, which, owing to the normal position of the pawls, is

- described.

normally held at a slight distance from the upper magnet.

M represents a thin disk, preferably formed of paper, and having its outer face printed to represent the dial-face of a clock. This paper dial is secured in any desired manner to the hour-hand post m of ordinary clockworks, and is adapted to lie tiirned by said hand-post. The clock-works supporting said paper dial, as described, are so situated, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, as to support the dial in close proximity to the outer pivoted end of the needle h Supported at a point preferably above the recording apparatus are three binding-posts O, I, and Q.

From the metallic front plate B of each sending-station runs upwardly a short wire g, which connects near the sending-station with a wire q, the latter connecting with the binding-post Q, from whence it passes to battery R. From the metallic contact-stripd of the sending-station extends upwardly a wire 0, which connects with a wire 0, the latter connecting with the binding-post 0, from whence it passes to one of the magnet-spools e A wire 0 continues the connection to the remaining magnet e and from the latter a wire 0 runs to the battery R. From the metallic plate 61 a short wire p runs-to a wire 1), which connects with binding-post P. From the binding-post P the wire p connects with one end of the magnet Z, the remaining end of said magnet being connected with the battery-wire 0 by a wire 1 The wires 0', p, and q may be continued past any number of sending-stations and connected with each of said stations in the manner above These wires terminate, however, at the last sending-station by being connected directly with the parts (1, 61 and B.

The operation of our device is as follows: The sending-station boxes may be arranged in diiferent rooms or different parts of a building, or at other different points, as may be desired, the construction of the mechanism of said sending stations differing only in the number of contact-teeth 0 formed on the disk 0. The receiving-station and its mechanism may be located at an office, residen cc, or other desired point, and is connected with said sending-station, as above described. As is usual in this class of devices, the watchman is instructed to visit the points occupied by the sending-stations at certain hours or fractions thereof. For illustration, we will suppose the watchman to have reached the sending station herein illustrated and described at three oclock. Being provided with a suitable key, he engages the same with the key-post a, which projects through an opening s in the mechanism cover, and turns said key-post until its finger Z2 comes into contact with the pin 1). The key then being withdrawn, the tension thus given the spring a of the alarm mechanism will cause the keypost and the gear-wheels and shafts of the clock-work operated thereby to be rotated to their former positions. This movement of said gear-wheels will operate through the consequent movement of the shaft 0 to rotate the disk 0 one revolution, thus bringing the contact-teeth c successively into contact with the projecting outer end of the contact-strip (1. As each of said contact-teeth meets said contact-strip, it will be seen that a complete circuit will be formed between the metallic front plate I3, (with which said disk is connected by its shaft,) through magnets e and the battery R and the contactstrip d, by means of the wires q q and 0 0 o 0 In this manner the cores of the magnets 6 will be alternately magnetized and demagnetized as the contact-teeth c are connected and disconnected from the strip d. At each closing of the circuit thus produced the armature 6 will be drawn toward the magnets, which movement will operate through the sliding pin 6 to force outward the bar f and cause the latter to strike the projecting rear end of the needle 71 This blow upon said needle will be sufficient to drive its pointed end into the paper disk M. This movement of the armature and sliding pin will operate to draw inward the rear end of the lever f, resulting in the outward movement of the forward portion of said lever, said outward movement operating to draw the pawl G sufiiciently outward to cause its engagement with the next tooth of the ratchet f. The magnets e being again demagnetized by the passage of the disk-tooth from the contact-spring, the force of the spring g will operate to draw the sliding pin 6 again back to its former position. This movement .of said sliding pin will not only result in the release of the armature from the magnets and the release of the spring-actuated perforating-needle from contact with the hammer-bar F, but will also cause the pawl G to resume its normal position, and in so doing slightly rotate the ratchet-wheel f. While the pawl G is traveling to a new tooth of the ratchet it will be seen that the spring-actuated pawl will remain in engagement with the notch just vacated by the pawl G until the upper pawl has by the breaking of the circuit and tension of the spring g sufficiently rotated the ratchet-wheel as to allow the lower pawl to drop into the same notch with the upper pawl, thus preventing the ratchet being rotated when the upper pawlis traveling to a new tooth. This partial rotation of the ratchet-wheel f will cause a slight portion of the cord I to be wound upon the pulley f The forward movement of the cord I thus produced will cause the needleblock h to travel slightly forward onits track H, so that when the above-described movement of the parts is repeated by the contact of the next tooth of ,the disk 0 with the contact-strip d the perforations formed by the pointed end of the needle will be slightly removed from the one previously formed. As

assume an operating position.

shown in the drawings, we may employ a guide-plate V, the latter being secured at one end to the rear end of the frame E, and having its outer portion bent in a line parallel with and on the outer side of the track H. This guide-plate isprovided with a central longitudinal slot, and is adjusted to form a rear bearing for the paper dial. It will be ob served that, the paper-dial disk being fixed on the outer projecting end of the hour-hand post of the cloek,-said dial would be rotated by said post at the same speed with which the latter moves. This paper dial is so set with relation to the perforating-needle point as to cause the perforations made by said needle-point to be formed in alignment with the figures or marks on said disk representing the time when said perforations were made.

Owing to the fact that there are four contact-teeth formed on the disk 0, herein shown, it will be observed that four perforations but slightly removed one from the other will be formed in a line opposite the figure on the dial indicating three oclock, thus showing that the watchman visited the station having the four-toothed disk at exactly three oclock.

The arm (1 of the plate d of the sendingstation mechanism is so located as to cause the key-post finger b to come into contact with the lower end of said arm d while traveling between the stop-pins Z) b. This contact of the finger b and arm d will, through the plate d wire 1), wire 1), binding-post P, wire 11. and its connection with the battery, and the battery-wire q and its connection with the metallic frame-plate of the sending-station clock-work, form a complete circuit through the upper magnet Z, the core of which becoming thereby magnetized will cause the armature disk 71; to be drawn against said magnet end, which movement will, through the wire trip-arm 7t, force the pawls G and g from their engagement with the ratchet-wheel. Thus it will be seen that, the needle-block h having been drawn forward on its track-plate H by a previous recording operation, as above described, and the ratchet-wheel being released from the pawls, the weight K will operate to draw the needle-block to the rear end of its track, the ratchet and its reel being rotated to unwind from the latter the cord 1. It will be seen that the needle is now again supported in position to perform its ofiice of recording. The finger I! being released from contact with the arm (1", and the core of the magnet Z being thereby demagnetized, the tension of the springs G and will operate to withdraw the pawls outward and cause their reengagement with the teeth of the ratchet.

It will be seen that the oifice of the magnet Zis to release the ratchet from engagement with the pawls and allow the needle to It will also be observed that the sending-station-meehanism boxes may be so arranged with reference to the route taken by the watchman that the number of perforations will not be produced in their regular orderthat is, the first number recorded may be five and the second number eight or any other desired number, according to the arrangement of the boxes.

The person or persons having control of the mechanism at the receiving-station may be provided with a list of the numbers which should be recorded in order. The sendingstation mechanism being covered in the usual manner by a cover plate or cap, the watchman will be unable to discover what number should be registered by each box, thus preventing any possibility of the mechanism of any one box being so manipulated by the watchman as to produce at the receivingstation the different numbers of perforations in the order in which they should be received.

By the herein-described construction and operation it will be observed that but two sets of magnets may be used for the operation of any number of sending-stations, and that the necessity of using a separate set of wires for the connection of each sending-station with the receiving-station is obviated, but three main wires being used. It will also be observed that the construction and operation of the li erein-described mechanism are such as to render at all times a reliable and durable record, and that the record is so produced as to admit of an accurate record of the watchmans service being kept on file.

From the construction herein shown it will also be seen that although the wires 0 p are used as conductors for all sending-stations, but one sending-station will be in connection with the recording mechanism at one time.

Owing to the fact that the circuit remains open and the battery is not in use when the sending-stations are not being operated, it will be seen that the durabilityand strength of the battery will not be impaired when the device is not in use.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a watehmans time-register, the combination, with one or more sending-stations, each provided with alarm mechanism, their toothed contact-disk c, contact-strips d, and key-posts D of the receiving-station magnet c connected through a battery with said sending-station frame-plate and spring-strip by wires, said magnet supported in suitable frame E, sliding pin (2 its armature-bar e", and hammer-bar F, pivoted spring-actuated lever f, pivoted and s in'ing-actuated pawls G g pivoted ratchet f, pulley f connected therewith, frame track-plate H, needle-block h, adapted to slide therein and havin internal spring-actuated registering-needle 71 cord 1, connecting-pulleyf and said needle-block, and cord J, connecting the opposite side of said block with a weight K, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with amagnet-supporting frame having horizontal track-plate H, of the pivoted ratchet and pulley wheels f f, the teeth of the former engaged by pivoted and sprlng-actuated pawls G and g the form er impartin grotary motionto said ratchet and pulley through a pivoted and spring-actuated lever f, operated by the armature of a magnet wh ch is alternately magnetized and demagnetized, a sliding needle-block h, mounted 011 track H, containing a springactuated perforating-needle, said block being connected on opposite sides respectively, as described, with the pulley f and weight K by cords, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In a watchmans time-register, the combination, with the sending station alarm mechanism, toothed disk 0, rotated thereby, and contact spring-strip d, of the magnet 6 supported on frame E, sliding pin 6 its hammer-arm F, and armature e lever f, pivoted and spring-actuated, as described, pivoted and spring-actuated pawls G 9 pivoted ratchet and pulley wheels f and f sliding needleblock h, having internal spring-actuated needle 7L3, said block loosely mounted 011 frametrack H, and connected on opposite sides, re spectively, with pulley f 5 and weight K, a paper dial M, supported and rotated by the hour-hand of a clock-movement in close proximity to the needle-point, and wires connecting the spring-strip and frame of the sending-station mechanism with the magnet e through the battery R, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, with the registeringmechanism plate E, its magnet e sliding pin 6 carrying armature e, and hammer-bar F, as described, pivoted and spring-actuated lever f, pivoted and spring-actuated pawls G and g pivoted ratchet f", and pulley f needle-block h, movably supported on track H, and connected on opposite sides, respectively,

with pulley f and weight K by cords, of the upper or tripper magnet Z, trip-rod is, its upper portion loosely entering a socket in said magnet-core and its lower portion embracing pawls G 9 and armature-disk 7o, supported on said rod, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a watchmans tin'le-register, the combination, with a se11 iling-station alarm mechanism, a contact-plate (71 a finger b proj ecting from the key-post of said clock-movement and adapted to be brought into contact with plate v(Z or an arm thereof when rotated, contact-strip d, and toothed disk 0, rotated by said clock-movement, of the receivingstation magnets 6 sliding pin 6 carrying armature c, and hammer-bar l pivoted and spring-actuated lever f, pivoted and springactuated pawls G and g pivoted ratchet f and pulley f needle-block 72, having internal spring-actuated needle 71 said block movably supported on said track H, and connecting on opposite sides, respectively, with pulley f and weight K by cords I and J, a paper dial M, supported and rotated by the hour-hand post of a clock-movement in close proximity to the pointed end of the needle, trip per-magnet Z, trip-rod 7a, its upper portion loosely entering a socket in said upper magnet-core and its lower portion embracing pawls G and g armature-disk 70', supported on said triprod, wire 1?, connecting the plate (:1 and trippermagnet Z through a battery, and wires 0 g, respectively connecting contactst-rip' d I and the metallic frame of the sending-station mechanism with the magnet 6 substantially as and for the purpose specified.

CHARLES E. EGAN. HENRY F. GRAY. In presence of BARTON GRIFFITH, C. O. SHEPHERD. 

